Microsoft releases Surface Pro pricing, specifications

Microsoft's Surface Pro devices pack an Intel Core i5 processor and a full HD display, but pay for it in battery life.

Details of Microsoft's upcoming Surface Pro tablets, which use x86-architecture processors and a full install of Windows 8, have been released - and it's a mixed bag for those who have been hoping for good news.

Slightly larger and heavier than the ARM-based Surface RT products, at 275mm x 173mm x 13.5mm, the Surface Pro tablets pack an Intel Core i5 processor with integrated Intel HD4000 graphics behind a 10.6" ClearType display. While sharing the same dimensions and technology as the Surface RT version, the Pro is a significant upgrade in resolution at 1920x1080 to the RT's 1366x768. Touch capabilities are also improved, with the Pro boasting 10-point multi-touch to the RT's five, and coming bundled with a pressure-sensitive stylus. The system's memory has also been boosted, from the 2GB found in a Surface RT to a more Windows 8-friendly 4GB.

Aside from swapping out the full-size USB 2.0 port of the Surface RT for a USB 3.0 version, ditching the custom video output port with an arguably more useful Mini DisplayPort and, for some reason, losing the second noise-cancelling microphone, the remainder of the Surface Pro's specifications should come as no surprise: the body of the tablet uses the ultra-thin VaporMg casing material in a 'Dark Titanium' finish, features a kickstand on the rear and physical volume and power buttons, while 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity are included as standard. Stereo speakers and a headset jack are built in, while two 720p cameras - one front, one rear - are present and correct.

So far, so good. Now for the not-so-good: despite a larger battery, a 42Wh model to the RT's 31.5Wh, the Intel Core i5 drains power like there's no tomorrow with Microsoft admitting that the Surface Pro will be lucky to get around half the runtime of its more energy-efficient ARM-based stablemate. As a result, buyers can expect to be putting up with a four-hour runtime between charges, although at least charging will be faster thanks to a 48W power supply to the RT's 24W model.

Bundled software is also somewhat light: where the Windows RT gets a cut-down copy of Office Home and Student 2013, dubbed the RT Preview, buyers of the more expensive Pro will have to make do with Windows Mail and Messaging, SkyDrive, Internet Explorer 10 with Bing, Xbox Music, Xbox Video and Xbox Games packages - all of which are also included with the Surface RT.

Finally, cost: while pricing for the UK has yet to be confirmed, Microsoft has announced plans to get the device on the market by January with a US recommended retail price of $899 for the 64GB model and $999 for the 128GB. Neither come with the much-vaunted Touch Cover keyboard accessory, which will cost an additional $100. Adjusting for VAT and rounding up, that means the devices are likely to hit the UK for no less than £700 and £800 respectively - and we wouldn't be surprised to see a swap-the-symbol pricing structure that sees the tablets début at £899 and £999 respectively.

The battery life is comparable to a 11 inch MacBook Air which is ok, especially when you consider it's also driving a 1080p IPS screen. The extra backlighting needed for a high-res screen factors in a lot to the power consumptions.

Similarly, the iPad 3's battery was bulked up not because of it's A5X chip (which needed a heat spreader) but because of that incredible screen.

Originally Posted by NexxoNone of these drawbacks exceed normal limitations though. It's like saying a Porsche is a mixed bag because it's fast but its fuel economy is poor. You get what's technologically feasible.

Really? 'Technologically feasible?' The Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook, which has a high-res touch-screen, Core i5, and 4GB of RAM manages 12 hours of battery life - and is thinner than the Surface Pro, despite making room for a proper physical keyboard.

If Microsoft wants to catch up to Apple and Google in the tablet market, it needs to excel - not to release something which is basically the same as or worse than devices already in the market. While the Touch Cover is clever, and the high-res screen is nice, there are plenty of downsides too - hence the 'mixed bag' comment. Also, bundling the Touch Cover - really the Surface Pro's only defining feature over rival devices that you can buy today - would have helped, but you need to shell out for that separately, which has nothing to do with "technological feasibility" and everything to do with maximising profit.

Originally Posted by Gareth HalfacreeReally? 'Technologically feasible?' The Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook, which has a high-res touch-screen, Core i5, and 4GB of RAM manages 12 hours of battery life - and is thinner than the Surface Pro, despite making room for a proper physical keyboard.

Where ? When ? My Aspire S7 doesn't. Unless you mean with an additional battery, which is nowhere to be seen.

Originally Posted by NexxoThe $1400,-- Acer Aspire S7 manages four hours of battery life, according to Endgadget's review, and about five according to Acer itself. The price of course is commensurate with its technology.

Huh - how odd. I got the figure from Microsoft, which claims twelve. I sit corrected.

My biggest gripe with this tablet is the "pro's will want this for on-the-go work". Now, I've been doing on the go work for some time with a 12" HP laptop and I couldn't settle with any less screen than that. And I don't do any image editing or PowerPointing or the like, I simply use Word and Maple15.

Originally Posted by PicarroMy biggest gripe with this tablet is the "pro's will want this for on-the-go work". Now, I've been doing on the go work for some time with a 12" HP laptop and I couldn't settle with any less screen than that. And I don't do any image editing or PowerPointing or the like, I simply use Word and Maple15.

The Lenovo X230T will still be my Windows 8 weapon of choice.

I agree. I love the idea of a full x86 tablet, but I think it needs considerably more battery life to be practical. The E-450 in my laptop is fine for the work I do, and I would expect it would be fine for many others. It's 7-8 hour battery life would be far more useful for a tablet.

For those you are concerned with the battery life, remember that the Surface Pro, power adapter is actually smaller than most (if not all) ultrabooks, and that it recharges pretty fast. Also 4-5h of battery life, is average for an ultrabook.

Originally Posted by wafflesomdI'll just wait for some other company to a better job.

I don't think you'll still be in the world when this happens. OEMs aim for the consumer market, and what the consumer market wants is:
-> high fancy numbers
-> Lowest price possible

A few years back, you used to see really powerful laptops, powered by med-low to med range Nvidia of ATI GPU, with high screen resolution in a 12inch form factor, with extra long battery life, that is still not common today (9h easy). You could find them in 13 and 14inch models, with a well build, well engineered, sturdy system. Now all you have is for most systems: Intel GPU, sometimes not even the higher end model, cheap plastic, 0 cooling engineering, or any engineering at all, ugly design, Windows minimum resolution display, laughable battery life in many cases, huge power brick. They are cutting corners so much, that they don't even include any disks with the systems. And its getting worse every single year.

And you expect someone to do a better job. HA!

Last hope is ASUS and Samsung, and even then they are not putting much effort into it. No wonder Apple sales are up. Microsoft is actually providing competition, and actually providing a quality device and I hope it will wake up some OEMs.

I don't see what the big deal is about the battery life, I mentioned it too my dad, saying it had 'only' four hours of battery life, and I think hes already pre-ordered one in his head. His current laptop lasts around 30 mins if hes lucky. I think its a bit harsh on Microsoft to compare the surface pro's battery life to a tablets, as the surface will probably be doing more CPU intensive tasks.

Originally Posted by Gareth HalfacreeReally? 'Technologically feasible?' The Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook, which has a high-res touch-screen, Core i5, and 4GB of RAM manages 12 hours of battery life - and is thinner than the Surface Pro, despite making room for a proper physical keyboard.

So?
Computers are calculators. The dollar shop calculator has several weeks of battery life, even some are solar powered. So the iPad sucks. Yes, you'll tell me, you can't do anything with those pocket calculator, but the same applies to the iPad vs Surface Pro. You can't do anything on iOS compared to Windows 8 Pro.

Originally Posted by GoodBytesSo?
Computers are calculators. The dollar shop calculator has several weeks of battery life, even some are solar powered. So the iPad sucks. Yes, you'll tell me, you can't do anything with those pocket calculator, but the same applies to the iPad vs Surface Pro. You can't do anything on iOS compared to Windows 8 Pro.

The iPad isn't pretending to be a useful portable productivity device that will run desktop applications while mobile. If you want Apple gear to do that then you buy something like an air or MBP.

The whole point of buying a surface pro is so you can run desktop grade apps on a portable tablet and four hours isn't long enough.

I was one of the mugs who bought into the UPPC thing a few years back. It was occasionally wonderful to use desktop apps on a paperback sized device (I had the OQO e2) but I couldn't get more than 4 hours of light use out of it... Battery life has always been the kicker when it comes to windows tablets and this one is no different.

Don't get me wrong the surface pro is a great bit of kit, but it needs better CPU architecture to act as an all day device.

You might be able to run your desktop class productivity suite on the surface but when your battery runs out three hours into the flight and your charging lead is in checked baggage you'll be left watching Ben Stiller movies on the inflight.

Oh, and I'm not going to even think about responding to the "You can't do anything on iOS" line.

Originally Posted by GuinevereThe iPad isn't pretending to be a useful portable productivity device that will run desktop applications while mobile. If you want Apple gear to do that then you buy something like an air or MBP.

And that's my point. And the MacBook Air only has 5h.

Quote:

Don't get me wrong the surface pro is a great bit of kit, but it needs better CPU architecture to act as an all day device.

It does, the CPU only consumes 17W, which is incredible compared to a few years back.

Quote:

You might be able to run your desktop class productivity suite on the surface but when your battery runs out three hours into the flight and your charging lead is in checked baggage you'll be left watching Ben Stiller movies on the inflight.

So don't put the power adapter in your checked bag. If you are not organized, then that is a different topic.

Quote:

Oh, and I'm not going to even think about responding to the "You can't do anything on iOS" line.

Of course you won't. Because you can't compare, as you mentioned yourself, it's more close to a MacBook Air, which is a full OS, than an iPad/Android tablet.

Originally Posted by AnfieldWhen the surface pro was first rumoured I thought "sweet, want one", but that has changed since, why? I've seen the Lenovo / Sony / Dell and so on Laptop / Tablet convertibles...

Exactly, pick the one you want. So many choices. For me, Sony and Dell are crap, Lenovo is using a crappy display. Surface Pro has a lot more to offer at the same price range, with digitize pen support.

Originally Posted by GuinevereOh, and I'm not going to even think about responding to the "You can't do anything on iOS" line.

I think I just have to :D. When I first bought an ipad 2 years ago, I wasn't sure what I would actually use it for. 2 years later I use it way more than my pc. For a lot of people, a consumption device is all they need, and for which iOS is great for, simply due to the huge variety (and quality) of its apps. Windows cant boast that (yet) as the selection is still small and most apps really aren't very good imo.

What a change a few years makes. I remember when the iPad was first released, and so many people here absolutely lambasted Apple for manufacturing such a terrible product that had absolutely no use in the real world. Fast forward a couple years and here we are debating which tablet is better than the other.

Originally Posted by GoodBytesExactly, pick the one you want. So many choices. For me, Sony and Dell are crap, Lenovo is using a crappy display.

You got any info on what screen the Yoga 13 uses? cause the reviews of the whole device don't really mention much detail beyond ips and the datasheet found on the lenovo website is not very informative either. (although the pictures in reviews may reveal an issue that renders the display moot anyway as it appears to suffer from horrible mirror effect.

Originally Posted by supermonkeyWhat a change a few years makes. I remember when the iPad was first released, and so many people here absolutely lambasted Apple for manufacturing such a terrible product that had absolutely no use in the real world. Fast forward a couple years and here we are debating which tablet is better than the other.

Well to be honest, I still see the Surface (not the Pro) (yes I said it), iPad, and Android based tablet to be mostly useless. What makes the Surface better than the rest, to me, is primarily Office and multi-tasking. If I was intrested in a tablet. I would pick the Surface any day form now, even though it's processor isn't the fastest.

I am fine with my 14inch laptop. Granted I would prefer if its 13inch.. but nothing stopped me from getting a 13inch, beside money. My laptop is 4 years old, and ran Vista, 7 and now 8, all above and beyond. Anything you can do on a tablet I can do on my laptop. The only exception, is playing a movie on the bus or metro (subway, underground, wtv you call it)... while I COULD use it... I believe I'll be an easy target for theft, as its a bit hard to have a good hold on it, which doing something, and even 13inch it is a bit too big. Room in such situation isn't big to sit comfortably with a laptop.

The HP Windows 7 slate that never came out, is what got my attention in tablets. But of course the technology was not there, and the OS wasn't ready to be in such form factor. Fine for convertible laptop, but not a tablet only.

The Surface Pro, is the tablet that makes it all possible, thanks to Windows 8 mainly, but also the digitize pen. So you get to use the device as any tablet device with the modern UI layout, and when you need to do some work on the go, pull out the pen out of your pocket and you are ready to get fine precision in the desktop, to use your desktop apps. Also you might be able to play some simple/old games on the go that runs on the Intel GPU a bit (maybe 2-3h). I am sure a manufacture will do, at some point a battery pack or keyboard with battery inside or something. I just image a keyboard with battery, that support wireless charging. So when you don't use your tablet, you put it on the recharge station plate on the corner of your desk, and it recharges it, kinda like Nokia Lumia 920... but I am dreaming now.

Plus, with the Surface Pro, because of its digitize pen, you can actually take proper note taking, which is great for school, especially in classes that involved math, physics, or anything classes that uses a lot of diagrams and symbols.

That is why I am interested in the Surface Pro. The rest to me, was, and still is meh to me.

Yes, probably the Surface Pro is not a big market, but I see myself getting it on day 1... if I had the money (P.S: even if it was 200$ I still don't have the money. I have other things to buy, these higher priority for me, as my laptop is still fine for me).

Originally Posted by wafflesomdI'll just wait for some other company to a better job.

I don't think you'll still be in the world when this happens. OEMs aim for the consumer market, and what the consumer market wants is:
-> high fancy numbers
-> Lowest price possible

A few years back, you used to see really powerful laptops, powered by med-low to med range Nvidia of ATI GPU, with high screen resolution in a 12inch form factor, with extra long battery life, that is still not common today (9h easy). You could find them in 13 and 14inch models, with a well build, well engineered, sturdy system. Now all you have is for most systems: Intel GPU, sometimes not even the higher end model, cheap plastic, 0 cooling engineering, or any engineering at all, ugly design, Windows minimum resolution display, laughable battery life in many cases, huge power brick. They are cutting corners so much, that they don't even include any disks with the systems. And its getting worse every single year.

And you expect someone to do a better job. HA!

Last hope is ASUS and Samsung, and even then they are not putting much effort into it. No wonder Apple sales are up. Microsoft is actually providing competition, and actually providing a quality device and I hope it will wake up some OEMs.

Anyway, this is off topic.

I just meant a better tablet running windows 8. If you honestly don't think anyone will make something better than what microsoft is selling you're delusional.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodBytes

Well to be honest, I still see the Surface (not the Pro)

Well if you're going to exclude the only one that most people are interested in then yes you have some valid points.

Originally Posted by wafflesomdI just meant a better tablet running windows 8. If you honestly don't think anyone will make something better than what microsoft is selling you're delusional.

I really hope that I am wrong. I lost hope for OEMs. In a way I don't blame them, as they follow the market. The market demand the lowest price possible no mater what. Hence those who seek for performance and/or quality, go with Apple now.

I hope that Microsoft keeps releasing high quality Surface products and forces the OEMs to pull their socks up. Asus can deliver the goods when a gun is put to its head. Lenovo seems to be getting there.

to someone like me this is like star trektech. 4hrs of battery life with a fricken i5 and enough memory +power to run autodesk inventor. it'd need a mouse tho... but anyways this is fantastic as i have learned to adapt to a laptop with a 1-3 hour battery life(at best), a nook with around a 2 1/2 hr life and a phone with never more than 8 hours, which can be shrunk down to 1 1/2 if I'm texting alot. none of my devices go more than 2 hours without hitting a socket, car or household. i gonna get anther battery for my laptop soon tho... see how well that works out.

The reason it needs a core i5 is because it's running full blown windows which is much more compute intensive then windows RT. Hence while it might feel a little faster then the RT it won't feel as fast as it should. Other then that 's just another high res transformer-style tablet (with half the battery life).

Basically your paying $900-1000 for windows backwards compatibility - sure that's nice to have but not at that money.

im thinking bout goin 8 but gotta figure out how 2 dual boot it so my gramps wont have no hissy fit bout how i dont need it. :/
and considiring im kicking two rigs both on pentiums, one is a laptop called the dell latitude. and a nook. so anything with i5 and up is pretty substantial to me. and if im not mistaken full blown windows(and thts while knowing 8 is leaner than 7) is only xpensive half the time. but dont quote me on that. but do i need to know why it needs i5? nope. its good 'nough fer me.

I think that if you want the light and portable option then it needs to provide a great battery life. What the point in having the most portable device in the world if its tied to the wall for juice half the time?

Yup, but technology is as technology does. We are not up to full-fat Windows mobile devices weighing less than 2lbs. with 12 hour battery life yet. Not even Apple could pull off that miracle --it's why iPads run on iOS and not OSX.

I agree. CPU needs to be less power hungry while still faster, and new battery technology needs to be released.

We are at a stage right now, where not only its doable, but you are going to get a great experience out of it. That is, without costing 3000$, which was the entire problem out of convertible laptop (heavy, short battery life (less than 4h), too big (12inch), lack of power, and cost 3000$) is why these devices never pick up. That was 3-4 years ago. So for sure it only only get better from there. But we are here now, 2012, and this is one of the current technological limitation. Nothing Microsoft could have done to rectify this problem. Better battery cost a lot more and are heavier.

Originally Posted by will_123I think that if you want the light and portable option then it needs to provide a great battery life. What the point in having the most portable device in the world if its tied to the wall for juice half the time?

This is a good point. Until the tech improves, I think ultrabook plus tablet is preferable to a single compromise.

Originally Posted by theshadow2001This is a good point. Until the tech improves, I think ultrabook plus tablet is preferable to a single compromise.

Perhaps, but it does cost you a lot more, than buying a single device.

So basically it comes down to:
-> Pay a premium price, by getting 2 device, but you have no downside
-> Pay one device at the cost of an ultrabook, and you have this hybrid device, at the cost of battery life.

Originally Posted by GoodBytesPerhaps, but it does cost you a lot more, than buying a single device.

So basically it comes down to:
-> Pay a premium price, by getting 2 device, but you have no downside
-> Pay one device at the cost of an ultrabook, and you have this hybrid device, at the cost of battery life.

So it ultimately comes down to budget, and what is more important.

You forgot the option of just buying an ultrabook. Which would be where my money would be for a single device at the moment. Haswell could change all of this though.

Haswell supposedly drops TDP from 17W to 10W for the same processing power. Might shave a bit off battery life. Meanwhile The newly developed FIPEL light sheets may shave off some more due to reduced power consumption by the backlit screen. Here's hoping.

Originally Posted by will_123I think that if you want the light and portable option then it needs to provide a great battery life. What the point in having the most portable device in the world if its tied to the wall for juice half the time?

Look at smartphones, not one manufacturer has managed to release a smartphone that lasts more than a day under "normal" use yet and smartrphones have been around far longer than tablets. One of the main problems with the original iPhone was the atrocious battery life, yet not one smartphone relapsed by a competitor has managed to beat it in battery life in any significant way.

The same applies if you look at it from the laptop angle, just ignore the ultrabook word, its nothing but a fashion word made up by intel, but compact laptops have been around for ages, Toshiba and Sony for example have been making them for like a decade already. I still remember when a Toshiba sales rep showed up where I used to work like 10 years ago with a hyper small laptop, hyper small until he admitted to carrying like 3 spare batteries, feel free to draw you own conclusion what that meant in reference to the battery life.
And things really haven't improved too much since.

And the whole battery problem isn't just limited to small devices, just look at the atrocious range of electrical cars.

Point simply being, there is still no revolutionary battery technology out there that is cheap enough to mass produce or someone would have done so.